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After having a great bloodwork report half a yr ago, I am now experiencing high blood pressure! I can feel it....like a surging....a tingling...and I measured it at a drug store and it was 149/91.....a number I haven't seen before! I need help! I do not have Dr. D's cardio book, but if there is a supplement I can go get, culd you guys let me know? I read something about cordyceps helping....and I bought niacinimide, which I am not sure helps high BP or not......

Hmm.. How's your water intake? Stress level. Are you fighting anything? Are you dehydrated (hot out lately). And what about the thyroid?

The poster formerly known as "ABNOWAY"

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." - Phillipians 4:8

I second JJR, has anything changed lately that could be contributing, i know it is warming up here!. I would definitely see your doctor to see if it could be something else that's causing it. I'm currently taking a diuretic for my HBP. I just found out that one of depression meds could be causing it, but as my psychiatrist likes to point out it could be my weight to. I told him that i've read that my depression meds. could cause weight gain and make it hard to lose weight, he seems to want to just dismiss what i say like i'm blaming the meds.!. I'm not putting all the blame on the meds. but think they are a contributing factor to my weight and i know one causes HBP. I think you would have to get a few consecutive HBP readings in a certain amount of time before you are considered to have HBP. So it could just be a one time thing or something else may be contributing to it (like my meds. do for me).

I'll try to get back to you asap! with supplement recommendations. In the meantime some that may help are fish oil and ceylon cinnamon supplements.

Mickey

BTW, I have the Cardio Book but am getting ready to go dog sit for the weekend so don't have time to look at it right now. When i get a chance in the next couple of days i'll take a look at it and see what it say's about supplements.

"Let food be thy medicine"

Dr. D has said many times that it's not about what you don't eat but what you do eat that makes the difference. "Quoted by Jane"

Wow, thanks, Mickey! As a matter of fact I have been experiencing a high level of anxiety recently, for various personal reasons...(the usual, relationship, mother's cancer,etc.) and now I wonder which came first, but I definitely want to keep my bp normal if possible. I have been taking Ambien at night to sleep, an attempt get some sleep, and do intend to quit when I can get a grip!!

My bp is usually low. But when I went to go get the cap on my tooth the other day, it was 155/110 while I was sitting in the chair. Because 3 weeks earlier when I was there, I ended up in the ER from the drugs dropping my BP danger low. But I didn't worry about the high bp in the chair. When I got home and checked it, despite it being a stressful day for me, it was back down to normal 95/70. If you are dealing with anxiety, your BP can go up. Plus, when you took it, were you resting, sitting nice, thinking good thoughts? Or were you rushing around with lots to do? Did you just eat? I think 149/91 isn't anything to get too excited about if you're stressed and what not. It might make sense to get a home bp checker and see what it's like after you've relaxed and sat for a bit. If you find it is continuing to be high, start looking at things that could cause it that may be different in your life (and maybe consulting a doctor is appropriate. Although the only thing they'll know to do is put you on a drug, so if you don't like that plan, see if you can figure out what's triggering it. Just my humble opinion. Unless you're seeing a holistic MD or ND, or something like that).

I would suspect any drug taken on a regular basis could change your BP. But I don't know. I don't have a lot of experience there. I think even certain supplements or any kind of input, dietary or not, will have an effect. But I also know that if you get dehydrated, your BP can go up. So, if it's been hot, and you haven't been drinking as much water as you might should be, that could be something. I'm sure you'll figure it out. I do take a teaspoon of cod liver oil every day and I'm sure it doesn't hurt. Among other things.

The poster formerly known as "ABNOWAY"

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." - Phillipians 4:8

Stress and anxiety is a big factor with higher BP. Anything that would be like doing meditation would help, Deep slow breathing, walks in nature, and try to do whatever you pick daily. And keep in mind BP does go up and down even in the same day. I was like you always had low, and during an anxious period it went up. I've been doing mindfulness meditation and like activities and it helps a lot.

Micky, Lin, Andrea, Vegan Joe, thanks so much! I appreciate you looking in the book, Mickey....I will take those.And hawthorne, and walking, and meditation, which helps a lot, but at times is hard to do. (when anxious, but thats when needed...)

I was going to say ginger might help too. It's anti inflammatory and thins your blood. But you O's don't usually have a problem with thicker blood, so.. It might not be the best thing for you.

You probably just need a good rest.

The poster formerly known as "ABNOWAY"

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." - Phillipians 4:8

Jayneeo, high blood pressure is nothing to mess around with. When left uncontrolled, it can cause serious, permanent heart issues and stroke. I think you should go to your doctor and have them take it there. Some doctors' offices have a free, once a week blood pressure check. You need to get it checked and re-checked to see a pattern to see if you are developing HBP. It is not unusual for this to happen as people age.

One of the things I have heard about is Hibiscus tea. Here are a couple of links that you can read about the benefits of Hibiscus Tea for high blood pressure. I was in the habit of drinking it and then went on vacation and forgot to start back up. This is a good reminder for me to get back to the Hibiscus tea.

I am 53 and am currently on a diuretic for my blood pressure. It was high at my appointment in September 2010 and my doctor continued to monitor it. Finally it hit 154/100 after about six months of monitoring and she said I needed to do something. I monitor it fairly regularly. The thing that has really helped to lower mine is exercise. I am a tiny, thin person, so mine is not weight related. It runs in my family. Do you have a family history of high blood pressure?

Also, be sure that when you get your blood pressure taken that your arm is totally loose and let the nurse/doctor hold the entire weight of your arm. In other words, don't stiffen your arm and try to hold the weight. This can give a false high reading.

Thanks JJR and Patty!HBP does run in my family.....and I could stand to lose some more weight, though I am 12 lbs down from recently. I could lose another 10-15.....I just had bloodwork done this fall/winter and it was perfect, but....anything can change....I'm going to doc today to get a reading.

Jayneeo, I think if you can recognise anything at all that adds to your stress, could be watching the news, and to see what you can reduce or eliminate.

I have learned through doing meditation that when I get anxious like all humans i try to push it away, but if I can remember to just say/think in my head something like 'okay I'm feeling anxious but it is just a temporary state' and try to think of the anxiety as an object that will move on it really helps.And most of all slow deep breaths and focus on your breath, as that will take you away from anxiety thoughts.....it helps me.all the best, LinLin

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." - Phillipians 4:8

Do you listen to black metal. When my son puts that stuff on, my blood pressure automatically rises. Not a word of a lie. It rips at my soul.

I hope I do not hijack this thread.

My son was in a death metal band for his four years of high school. Once you learn to understand the music and the rythyms, it is really good! I don't love all metal, but I have learned that metal is a very complicated type of music. I like metal.

It is important not to diminish a particular type of music until you understand what the artists are trying to convey. For instance, my son was the base player for his band. Did you know that metal music requires a five string base as opposed to a typical four string base? This means that the base player is generally considered a second guitarist, but just playing on a lower note, and the base for metal is much more complicated than base for rock or other types of music.

While metal is not my favorite type of music, my son and his band practiced at our house for their four years of high school. I got to know all the boys, knew where they were and what they were doing, so those four years helped me to develop an appreciation of metal through association with my son and his friends! Now they are all in college and I miss the weekly rehearsals

Patty, I have always believed that every type of music had its excellent examples. Without exeption.I know nothing aobut death metal music, but i still believe it has its excellent exemplars. But when you don't understand a type of music at all, often it just jangles the mind.....I hate rap, but I know it can be fabulous when its done really well......I'm just too old to relate. Thanks for your contribution...and I welcome this topic on this thread.

Exercise???? When Dr. D says a Gatherers are exercise challenged... No matter how many times they read it is good for them in high doses, they just do not do it - even when being strict with food. I think there is a natural mental block against it that literally prevents them from even interpreting it when read . Lifestyle, not just food.

......uh.....busted!!!! (I got out in the yard and raked and weeded and planted plants and watered and pulled up bulbs, etc.......it was a kind of workout! It was good for me on many levels. Yay, gardening... )

Yeah... Recommendations are more like competitive running, weight lifting, competitive cycling, basketball, sprinting, etc... You will be surprised how good it will make you feel mentally if you push yourself very hard several times a week. Your body needs the stimulation of the cardiovascular system in order to keep it "limber" or rather prevent it from hardening.

I know some gatherers have knee issues etc but most studies show exercise helps keep fight of the continuation of problems. Cycling hard is easier on the knees until you get to pro level.

What you did in the Garden is what you should do on your days not kicking your own butt.

Be glad you will have a challenge overdoing exercise. As a Type A I am punished with the unresponsiveness to it. I need it to get my heart rate up for a little bit, but apparently the type and how I do it makes it good or bad for me. I wish there was some principle I could grasp onto that made it simple but... it is more like I can do more wrong than right.

Grains such as wheat, starches, and the like increase blood pressue. You see these people who eat "healthy whole grains" and the like, they exercsie, and yet their blood pressure remains high. Dairy and wheat are two things that cause inflammation in most people. This can lead to high bp in some people.

When i eat stuff like this, i want to run and jump around, can't sit still!!

Destroyer, your blood type does not hinder your ability to exercise. How is it people eons ago with blood type A survived and prospered?

That is why I think Dr. D has somehow not completely understood Type A's.

Cortisol goes up if you exercise hard is the story. Type A supposedly (some report so on here) lose weight by lighter exercise and eating right. I hate the idea of having to hold back on exercise in order to get results. Basically the idea is to "take it easy" even if you can run. Type O's and some others just get more rewards for trying harder when exercising. See the difference? One gets punished for trying harder, one gets results.

Some of us Hunter O's are exercise challenged, but because of my family heart issues, I am pushing myself. I have been exercising regularly for three months now. It gets easier every month and I am finally starting to enjoy it! No excuses anymore - I JUST DO IT!

My body shape has changed a lot, my legs look better than they have in a long time, and my blood pressure is down fairly consistently. All around, it is positive and I am glad Dr. Nash pushed me.

Exercise is definitely a challenge for me! Besides being a Type O and a Gatherer, I also have fibromyalgia. Over-doing the exercise can lead to my fibro flaring up. As much as I need to exercise hard for mental health, I also need to balance what I do so I don't make myself sicker. It's a delicate balancing act.

I need to "nudge" myself sometimes to keep going (or more often, to get going- once I start i'm usually OK) but I can't "push" myself too hard or I'll hurt myself. Often times, it really is in my best interest to slow down, NOT walk that extra mile, take a day off when I did a lot the day before, etc.

My son was in a death metal band for his four years of high school. Once you learn to understand the music and the rythyms, it is really good! I don't love all metal, but I have learned that metal is a very complicated type of music. I like metal.

It is important not to diminish a particular type of music until you understand what the artists are trying to convey. For instance, my son was the base player for his band. Did you know that metal music requires a five string base as opposed to a typical four string base? This means that the base player is generally considered a second guitarist, but just playing on a lower note, and the base for metal is much more complicated than base for rock or other types of music.

While metal is not my favorite type of music, my son and his band practiced at our house for their four years of high school. I got to know all the boys, knew where they were and what they were doing, so those four years helped me to develop an appreciation of metal through association with my son and his friends! Now they are all in college and I miss the weekly rehearsals

One size fits NONE!!!

I appreciate all music. But metal physically makes me feel unwell. If my son were to be in a band, I would not be able to go see him as much as I love him. My music has the same effect on him lol.

Patty H, my mom is a hunter and has a hard time exercising...she has lupus and can't play tennis like she liked to. She also eats things that are not at all good for hunters.

My fiance is an O gatherer and i have to motivate her to go work out a lot of times...i feel like i need it to feel ok and she knows she feels better when she exercises. For me it isn't a weight thing, but for my mental well being.

I went a period of time after injuring my leg when i did not exercise much. It was not fun. When i began to ride a bike, walk a lot more, play tennis, etc, i began to feel like my old self again. Maybe A's need more time to acclimate and build up more gradually and cool down more to help the cortisol. Personally, i love the feeling of exhertion, sweat, and being out of breath. For me there is no substitute.

Well bloodpressure is my issue as well. It goes up very quickly and goes down again.The moment I see my GP for my annual hormonal status check, she wants to check my BP as well.. The moment she puts the bandage around my arm my bp goes up.

Last time my bp was skyrocketing systolic 220 and diastolic 180.. bit too high!During that day I checked myself a few times and it went down to 145/80.. I think I have elastic veins! I have been on betablokkers for 10 years. I stopped taking them when my amalgam fillings were removed in 2005 and my bp dropped tremendously. And I will never take any meds again.. Cause of elevated bp are mostly for me stress at work, and my typical A anxiety. I do know that 2 a 3 times fitness per week at the gym is good for getting rid of my cortisol.. And calming music and being outdoors, do the rest to calm my system.. I need a few breaks per day to calm myself: walking, being alone by myself, biking every day is beneficial for me!

Patty, you continue to inspire me! I like hearing "I just do it" from you because you have the resistence to it that so many of us share...

Thanks, Jayneeo! I appreciate the compliment. I think of an excuse not to exercise almost every day, but I really don't have a valid excuse like Ruthie's fibromyalgia or Easy E's Mom's lupus. I am averaging exercising four to seven times a week, which is a huge change for me. I was thin even without exercise, so it was not like that was a motivating factor either.

I agree, Hawthorn really helped me when my BP and pulse were all over the place due to Lyme disease. I'm very sensitive and had no "side effects" from it. I've been taking it about a year now. It takes a couple of weeks before it really starts working so be patient.

I have been monitoring my blood type for years now. I have realized that I need to eat more than 9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day to keep my BP at a mid to high 130's/80 level. My resting pulse is normally between 38-48. I travel often and many times cannot get that amount in. Any help on how I can lower my BP. Upon doing my Swami, initially it showed me being 35% Teacher. When I rechecked the questions and answers, I had to make a change and it showed I was 30% Nomad. I am having a difficult time following some of the recommended foods being a nonnie. Most wheat are my toxins and I enjoy baked goods. I have been physically in the best shape of my life discounting overuse injuries.

Baking your own grain products for the road might help at first, Xcaribecab.

Rice is usually the grain of choice that almost anyone can tolerate and is widely available. I bake with three unusual grains that I have to buy at a HFS, but you have to know what works for you.

B's like O's get bp/cardiovascular problems from hitting the grains too much or too often. It sounds like you are not excluded from this. Grains form the back bone of ingredients in processed food. Traveling over the same territory might let you plan ahead to deal with the conflict between what is available and tempting to eat and what you need to eat for the health of your body.

This is a topic that keeps comming up, so don't hesitate to start your own thread about it. We have some people who travel a lot on the board. I don't know how they do it.

My weight loss goal: 220 lbs. A 6'4" dyslexic oddball: the size of a line-backer, the silhouette of Winnie-the-Pooh.

Eating my compliant beans that I soak, sprout and then cook and make brownies with helps tremendously. It is filling and helps to maintain a healthy weight. I switched the recipe around and have several, SWAMI diamonds in it. Make a double batch and freeze them. I take them out of town with me. Also it is important to keep hydrated.

Exercise???? When Dr. D says a Gatherers are exercise challenged... No matter how many times they read it is good for them in high doses, they just do not do it - even when being strict with food. I think there is a natural mental block against it that literally prevents them from even interpreting it when read . Lifestyle, not just food.

My wife is a gatherer and she tends towards high blood pressure. It is challenging to get her to exercise right now. She has plenty of endurance, so for her it is best to do productive stuff like yard work or what not that is like exercise too.

I think for gatherers combining activities with other people that are active is the best way instead of just exercising on their own. They need to socialize!

You can buy both as supplements but I prefer to limit my supplements to those that aren't available in food.

I brew 4 cups of tea using 1T hibiscus flowers and 2T olive leaves (I buy both on Amazon), steep for 5 minutes, and then drink it cold over the course of the day. The bitterness of the olive leaf tempers the acidity of the hibiscus.

DH started taking it a month ago (he prefers it hot) and it lowered his bp, too. When I asked whether he'd drink the tea even if it didn't help his bp and he said yes. That's how much he likes it.

My BFF and MIL also like the taste but they both prefer it with honey.

If you travel, Mercola makes a hibiscus concentrate and Olivus makes an olive leaf concentrate both of which can be mixed into water.

Hibiscus can be diuretic so I don't drink right before bed.

"Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible."

BHealthy, I have low BP. I do like hibiscus in my yerba mate'. But I was given a lot of olive leaf. I"ll see about giving some to BD, and our AB friend, both which seem to run on the high side. Thinks for the information.

After having a great bloodwork report half a yr ago, I am now experiencing high blood pressure! I can feel it....like a surging....a tingling...and I measured it at a drug store and it was 149/91......

I haven't read all the replies so sorry if I repeat what I've found within my own family and self.

First get a reasonable BP arm cuff to take your own BP at home.... any outside influences work pdq on me.

My OH [possibly and A] my son [def an A] and my DIL [def an O] have all reduced their BP by taking 1000mg fishoil daily along with a true-food magnesium tablet - both from a reputable co http://www.highernature.co.uk

Not sure what you would sub in US because the true food mag has other co-factors.

I picked up an idea from Dr. Andrew Weil's website that worked well for me for a good long while. He mentioned the herbal concoction from India, Mukta Vati. Investigating that product on the web, I found that there are actually two versions of Mukta Vati that are made by different companies and are mostly very different from one another (only one herb is common to both). There's an "Ivy's Mukta Vati" and a "Divya Mukta Vati." I have tried them both.

They both worked to lower blood pressure, but the Ivy's brand has a much stronger blood pressure lowering effect on me and is overall the Mukta Vati product I'd recommend that you try first.

The place I've been extremely happy dealing with for the Ivy's brand of Mukta Vati is <http://www.herbs2healyou.com>. Read their substantial site information on the Ivy's brand that they sell. The price per bottle comes down significantly there when you purchase in bulk. They go on vacation for about a week twice a year, around Christmas and the first part of June (when their webpage won't work for ordering), so if you get started with them, don't wait until the last minute before ordering during those particular times of the year. Delivery for me has always taken 2 days (US Priority mail) with them.

I can vouch for the effectiveness of the Ivy's Mukta Vati product for me; there's a powerful effect. Its effect does take a few days to begin to be very, very noticeable, though. For a long time I was able to take this herbal concoction without having any noticeable side effects. Six Ivy's tablets per day brought my systolic blood pressure down by maybe 30-40 points.

I got the Divya brand from a website using a Swami name, which I believe was the Swami Ramdev site: <http://www.swamiramdevmedicines.com/herbal-remedies/mukta-vati.html>. I recently lost my hard drive and can't doublecheck that, though I do recall clearly that a Swami was involved with what I ordered. The transaction with them went fine in my two experiences using my credit card online with them, in spite of some initial trepidation on my part in dealing abroad with my credit card. I opted for the free delivery route and both times I ordered with them the product arrived within ten days. On my first order they included an extra box without charge. Six tablets/day might have brought my blood pressure down on an average of maybe 10-15 points.

There is another website that carries both kinds of Mukta Vati: <http://www.indiaabundance.com>. I've not dealt with them but know of no reason for avoiding them either.

==Another idea is one I got from a nurse in one of my doctor's offices: raw unprocessed unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. I was telling her about my problem of eventually developing bad responses to whatever blood pressure meds I was taking on a daily basis. The nurse told me that her mother controlled her blood pressure problem merely by taking raw apple cider vinegar every day, and that she lived to be 90 in good health. I did find a noticeable good blood pressure effect in taking a tablespoon twice a day on an empty stomach. That's where I am today, but I don't think the vinegar fix is enough with my particular blood pressure problems. I also notice that under a blood type diet, vinegar isn't a recommended idea for blood type A people like myself either. (Newbie here; just halfway through reading "Live Right 4 Your Blood Type now.)

I've tried all the various major prescription types of blood pressure meds, and they all worked to a greater or lesser extent initially, but my doctor kept having to increase dosages, until eventually I was maxed out on four different major BP prescription types all being taken at the same time. But the more medication I took, the more I apparently needed to take. At a final point, I realized that the prescriptions I was on were *causing* a rise in my already high blood pressure. Deciding on my own to stop taking the prescriptions at systolic 245 (and worse!), I found that my blood pressure came down enough that I was at least out of stroke territory as long as I avoided the prescription BP medications.

This unhappy turn of events reminded me of my allergist's advice 40 years ago: that I was so allergy prone that I should avoid eating any single food very often at all - advice that has been too hard to take, given that at that point I was already tested allergic to 66 foods. I suspect that the allergist's advice applies also to herbs and probably to prescription meds as well.

I have tried celery and a bunch of other supplements and things, all of which I can't recall right now. Other than salt avoidance, none of any other strategies have worked for me. I personally need strategies with a very noticeable impact - nothing with a possible maximum impact of a 5-point BP lowering, so that doesn't mean that if you are somewhat close to normal, it's not worth your time to do a few small things.

If what I've read is true, then avoiding salt might not be equally important to every person with a blood pressure problem, but salt avoidance is hugely important for me and would be a good place to start for many people. Necessary salt avoidance for me, alas, includes avoiding my well-loved Celtic Sea Salt. If you are salt-reactive kind of person, you also need to avoid Chinese restaurant food, and use only reduced sodium soy sauce in greatly reduced amounts in your own cooking.

As long as I was able to move and walk well (crippling arthritis problem here now), I do think my blood pressure was helped by exercise. In my younger days, I used to play tennis avidly, and I felt so much better in every way when I could still do that. I do think exercise helps if you choose wisely what you do and are physically able to do it, and that it is extra helpful if you have any tendency toward diabetic problems.

I have had wonderful results with Hawthorn. I was already taking fish oil, magnesium and many supplements that assist with lowering BP when the high blood pressure developed because of a terrible reaction I had to Clorox. I was prescribed Norvasc, but it never seemed to consistently help me. Besides that, it was causing a multitude of side effects. Taking Hawthorn wrought magic, however. I do not take any prescribed medications now and haven't for a long time.

"We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." -- Benjamin Franklin

Well bloodpressure is my issue as well. It goes up very quickly and goes down again.The moment I see my GP for my annual hormonal status check, she wants to check my BP as well.. The moment she puts the bandage around my arm my bp goes up.

Last time my bp was skyrocketing systolic 220 and diastolic 180.. bit too high!During that day I checked myself a few times and it went down to 145/80..

That really sounds like "white coat syndrome".

For me, it's the opposite. I tend to get a good reading at the doctor's and high readings at home. I guess I feel like my doctor is the to help me, so I relax, but at home, it's just me and the machine, and I was afraid of what the numbers would be (at the doctor's office, that's his job).

When I check myself at home, I find that the first reading is high. Yesterday, the first reading was 149/85. I left the deflated cuff on my arm and relaxed for a few minutes, told myself some reassuring things, and it was 133/78. My initial reaction is to tense up for the cuff. I was still wearing my exercise monitor when I sat down to the BP machine a few days ago, and found that my heart rate went up 10 bpm just from picking up the cuff and putting it near my left arm! Obviously, I have some work to do in desensitizing myself regarding the cuff - and I encourage you to think of it as the "cuff" rather than the "bandage" for some reason.

A month or so ago, I hit a high of 195/105, started taking meds and it went down to 155/85. Then I decreased the meds because I felt light-headed, and it dropped further to 135/80. I guess the diet, weight loss, exercise and meditation are working. I feel that I will be able to get it down to normal and get of the meds in a while.

It's important to have it read correctly too. The arm should be at heart level and it's good to get readings while sitting, standing, etc.

Sometimes when doctors read mine it is high, but when it's read correctly at home it is normal.

I went to give blood on new years eve and they read my pressure before. It was 143/92! It was not read with my arm at heart level and I had consumed a supplement I believe in increased my blood pressure. The next am it was read at 123/72, when it was read correctly.

Arm should always be at heart level. Even a few inches below can give a false reading and even a misdiagnosis.

It is important to be at rest when it is taken too. After walking down the hall at the doctor's office I won't let them immediately take my blood pressure. I sit chatting with the nurse for a few minutes. It can change the reading ten or fifteen points. And we shouldn't cross our legs or ankles! Or worry about our blood pressure going up!

"We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." -- Benjamin Franklin

It is important to be at rest when it is taken too. After walking down the hall at the doctor's office I won't let them immediately take my blood pressure. I sit chatting with the nurse for a few minutes. It can change the reading ten or fifteen points. And we shouldn't cross our legs or ankles! Or worry about our blood pressure going up!

I had one elevated reading I had taken for insurance reasons after driving like 20 minutes in traffic, and had just begun a new job. Now every time I see the blood pressure cuff at the docs office I feel it go up! Just being in a doctors office makes it go up!

I get that too, Easy E. Classic white coat syndrome. Just the thought of them taking it at the doctor's office makes it skyrocket. I can feel the pulsing even on the way to the doctor's office sometimes. White coat is real!!!!It's perfectly normal after a while or when I take it at home.

I can get white coat syndrome as well. I am taking supplements and eating lots of watermelon to help with my BP. Since I have had a herniated disc and surgery to correct it, I have not been able to really exercise. Even walking, which I love to do has been difficult due to the weather. It's either been poring rain or freezing cold and slippery.

I read a great book called The Great Cholesterol Myth and the authors give a lot of supplements which are targeted for certain conditions. While I know it is not blood type specific, I have found most of the supplements to be very helpful in controlling my BP during this period when exercise has been difficult to impossible. The best supplement is MAGNESIUM!!! So simple and inexpensive but so incredibly powerful as a remedy to so many ailments, particularly related to the cardiovascular system.

I was diagnosed with high blood pressure December 2014 of 195/105. I went on medication from my family doctor but I also went to see a complementary medicine practicing physician who gave me a lot of supplements including magnesium, Quercetin and arginine. I read a number of books including The Paleo Diet, The High Blood Pressure Hoax, Grain Brain, and of course Dr D's books.

I ate Paleo, then BTD, and finally GTD - I'm a 64 year old, O+ Gatherer. I meditate every morning before breakfast and exercise most days.

Now it's March 2015, I've lost 15 lbs, my resting heart rate has gone from 72 down to 54, I'm completely off the meds, and my BP is around 110/70.

If I'd just gone to my GP and left it at that, I'd be on meds for the rest of my life.

I think that 80% + of people with HBP can get off their meds if they're willing to put in the work.

My primary doctor is determined to keep it in my file that my BP is "high," and that I am on medication for it. I'm afraid one of these days I am going to tell him that , no, I am not on BP medication, you are. He writes the scripts, I pick them up at the pharmacy and throw them in the trash. There is no reasoning with him. No other doctor I see thinks I have high blood pressure!

I did tell this doctor one day that I was sure he couldn't keep up with me because I am in better shape than he is. He looks sick all the time and is at least twenty years younger than I am.

"We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." -- Benjamin Franklin

Lon, how awesome are you! That's quite impressive .......Good job for taking control of your health, getting off meds and winding up with normal B/P.

Thanks, Chloe.

I can be incredibly stubborn, and something in me looked at the meds and just said, "No! I refuse to be on these (except in the short term until I get it under control with natural means)."

I used to think that people who derided conventional medicine were crackpots, but now . . . ?

I read that HBP can be caused my magnesium deficiency, and some BP meds, while lowering BP, cause further magnesium deficiency, which raises the blood pressure, which calls for higher dosages of the meds, which . . . you get the idea: a spiral of ever increasing meds with very unpleasant long-term side effects.

I asked my GP about this, wondering if the meds she had put me on did that, and she just stared at me - didn't even acknowledge the question let alone answer it.